BAFTA was formed in 1947 as The British Film Academy, by David Lean, Alexander Korda, Carol Reed, Charles Laughton, Roger Manvell and others. In 1958, the academy merged with The Guild of Television Producers and Directors to form The Society of Film and Television. This became The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in 1976.
BAFTA is supported by a membership of around 6,000 people from the movie, television and video game industries.
The academy's awards are look like a theatrical mask. They were designed by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe in 1955.
Princess Anne presented the first Fellowship Award to Alfred Hitchcock in 1971, and later attended the ceremony several times as President of BAFTA between 1973 and 2001.
The ceremony used to take place in April or May. Starting in 2002 it takes place in February in order to be before the Oscars. The awards are mostly open to all nationalities. There is an award for "Outstanding British Film" and "Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Producer or Director". The Short Film and Short Animation awards are also only for UK movies.
The Awards ceremony is broadcast on British television on BBC One. In the US the show was previously broadcast with a delay on BBC America until 2021, after which it has broadcast live on streaming service BritBox until 2025. In 2023, the BAFTA Film Awards included a live broadcasting of its major award categories during the final portion of the ceremony rather than a same day delay. In 2026, the U.S. broadcast of the ceremony will be on E! with a delay.
United Kingdom